Stranded
by NorikoTheGhost
Summary: Troy and Sharpay hated each other since they can remember. But what happens when they get stranded into an island alone? Can they prove the saying “the more you hate, the more you love”? - read and review.. rated T for language..
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Stranded**

**Pairings: TroyPay (of course)**

**Summary: Troy and Sharpay hated each other since they can remember. But what happens when they get stranded into an island near the resort they were supposed to be having fun and meeting new people? Can they prove the saying "the more you hate, the more you love"?**

**This is just a short one – maybe four or five chapters long… Read and Review… ;)**

**I don't own High School Musical or any of its characters…**

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Troy Bolton hated the fact that his parents are friends to the Evans'. He loathed the fact that he'll be staying with the Evans' twins for the rest of the summer vacation. He despised the truth that he'll be sharing breakfast, lunch, and dinner with the twins' – particularly to the female twin that goes by the name of Sharpay.

Sharpay Evans has been the Ice Princess – no, for him she was the Ice Queen! – of the whole town of Albuquerque. She can erase anyone who gets in her way with just a blink of an eye. Her beautiful pink sequins and sparkles paired with her ever changing colors of contact lenses every day with her golden locks could cover up the saying "the devil wears Prada" – literally.

"She's a real devil who loves wearing Prada boots!" Troy Bolton argued with his father over breakfast, who seemed not listening one bit of his words. He took a sip of his morning coffee as his mother was serving them their breakfast.

"Now, now, Troy." His mother called from behind him while sitting opposite his direction. Troy looked up to his mother. "Don't say something rude like that; Sharpay's a sweet young lady. Both of you just needed some time to know each other better." She told him in a calm manner and sliced up the egg on her plate.

"Mom, I've known Sharpay since kindergarten and she reminds of every assassin there is on this planet." He replied with much fear on his face. "Seriously, dad." He turned to his father who is looking at the sports' section of the daily newspaper. "Do you want me to be killed over the summer?"

Mr. Bolton gazed up to him. "Son, you're over reacting." He told him and went back to reading the article about basketball.

"So, hurry up and get your things prepared. They'll be here in a couple of minutes." His mother's voice came in, almost telling him that he has no other choice than staying with the Evans' over the summer to wherever their vacation house is.

Troy's eyes widened. "They'll be here?" he asked in amazement and his mother gave out a smile and nodded. "Sharpay's coming?" once more, his mother nodded. "_HERE??_"

"Troy, you sounded like a retard." A cold voice coming near from where they are made Troy froze in silence. A clucking noise from the heels of her shoes was all he could hear as she made her way to his mother and kissed her cheeks. Her sparkling dress was hurting his eyes; it was so much brighter than the rays of the sun.

"Your father and I invited Sharpay and Ryan over breakfast before the three of you could go to their vacation house." His mother informed him while putting her arms around Sharpay. Troy couldn't do 

anything. He watched his mother serve two plates with breakfast as Ryan came into view at sat right next to him so he could be sitting opposite Sharpay's direction.

--

"Hey, where are we going?" he asked the twins who was turning left instead of turning right down the road. "This isn't where we're going, I checked on the map last night…"

"Yeah, yeah, Bolton!" Sharpay shut him up as she gave her the deadly glare she's been giving him for the past seventeen years of his existence. "Why don't you just shut up? You're freakin' ruining my mood with your 'I checked on the map last night' shits!"

He was alone on the back seat of the car; Ryan was the one driving while Sharpay was on the passenger's seat beside Ryan. "I did not agree going on a trip to somewhere I don't know, especially with you!" he told her.

Another deadly glare from Sharpay was shot at him. "Well, I didn't want you in my summer as well, you basketball headed boy!"

"Will you please keep quiet? I couldn't concentrate on my driving." Ryan almost pleaded annoyingly.

"Then let me drive, Ryan." Sharpay's voice shifted from dangerous to sweet, as if Troy wasn't there.

Troy's pair of blue eyes grew wider in surprise. Sharpay was actually pleading her twin brother as sweetly as any five year old girl who wants a doll from Santa Claus.

"No, you can't drive, Shar." Ryan's strictness on his tone was heard all over. He couldn't believe what he was witnessing. It's as if Ryan had become Sharpay and Sharpay had become Ryan. It was the weirdest thing he has seen in years. "The last car you drove was beyond repair."

"What do you mean 'beyond repair'?" Troy asked and the twins looked at him, Sharpay turning to him while Ryan's eyes were on the rearview mirror looking at his quizzical reflection.

"What do you care?" Sharpay snarled as he heard Ryan told him "She was over speeding that we both had to jump out of the car windows to save our lives."

Troy's eyes widened in horror this time while looking at Sharpay.

"I was not over speeding, Ry!" she protested.

"Two hundred fifty kilometers per hour, Shar?" Ryan shot her the glare she was giving to Troy and his eyes went back to the road. "Really, this car lasted three months thanks to me."

"This car is old, Ry." She protested, changing the topic. Troy watched the twins with much entertainment.

"This car is not old. Besides, this is the thirty-forth car we brought for the last five months since New Year 's Day and why are you changing the topic?"

"I'm not changing the topic; I'm just saying this is old."

"This is not old and we're not buying a new one."

"I want a new one!" Sharpay pouted. "I want the pink one we saw yesterday."

"You can't have it unless you learn how to drive…"

"I _know_ how to drive, Ry." She answered at once, cutting Ryan's sentence. "You just wouldn't let me."

"…safely!" Ryan finished and Sharpay pouted.

Troy threw himself on the leather-coated seat and rested his head as the twins kept arguing. A sight of a luxurious resort came to his view as the fresh breeze of sea- water came to his nostrils.

"We're here!" Ryan declared. Suddenly, Troy seemed to be pulled back to reality. The argument of the twins has stopped and they both went out of the car. He followed them.

"Hey, how 'bout our things?" Troy called back to Ryan and Sharpay who were making their ways to the luxurious hotel. They both turned to him.

"The servants will get them on our respective rooms, of course." Sharpay answered him as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. She laughed a bit as if insulting him then made her way back to the hotel.

"We're staying at the penthouse, Bolton." Ryan called out to him before he entered the hotel. Sharpay was already on the elevator and Ryan was giving his car keys to one of the uniformed men in the reception area.

--

The penthouse Ryan told him was like a miniature of the Evans' multi-million dollar mansion. The penthouse has three bedrooms. Troy gazed upon the pink painted walls and wonders if it's because Sharpay demanded it to be painted with pink – or because this penthouse is painted with pink that's why Sharpay demanded that they should be spending their summer here.

"So, am I supposed to have a room?" he asked at the twins – Ryan sitting on the white leathered sofa, and Sharpay standing near the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse.

"No, you'll sleep in the couch." Sharpay told him and he frowned to her. She faced him and walked towards his direction. "There are three rooms in this penthouse, Bolton! What do you expect? That I'll just let you sleep in my couch and hear you snore all night long?" she barked at him.

"Okay, okay. I get it, Sharpay." He responded to her, looking worried.

Sharpay put her hands on her hips and before she could say anything, the buzzer on their door buzzed. "Get the door, Bolton." She ordered him.

Troy did what he was told to do. As soon as he opened the door, he came to face with three hotel porters in royal blue uniform. Along with them was their luggage. Troy pinned his eyes in the two pink luggages and shifted to Sharpay's direction, then back to the two pink luggages.

"This is Mister and Miss Evans'? And Mister Bolton's?" Asked one of the hotel porters.

"Uh, yeah." He responded. The hotel porter smiled and carried their luggages inside the penthouse.

As soon as their luggages were in, Ryan Evans stepped beside Troy's to sign the paper and gave the hotel porters a twenty dollar bucks each. Troy gave a frown at Ryan who just shrugged his shoulders, he started to grab his own luggage and went into the middle room to unpack.

"I'm staying near the balcony, Bolton." Sharpay informed him as she, too, was pulling her two pink luggages on the room near the balcony are. "Stay in the first room, near the entrance door." She added and shut the door of her room.

Troy sighed as he grabbed his own luggage to unpack in his own room. Unlike the pink-painted wall on the living room, the bedroom assigned to him was painted with light blue – something which reminds him of the clear sky. This bedroom was larger than his bedroom back in their town. There was a twenty-one inched flat screen television opposite his double-sized bed. On the right side of his bed, where his closet was built, was a door leading towards his own shower area. And a sliding door near his flat screen television was leading towards his own balcony. He decided to rest for a while and try to enjoy the company of the Evans twins.

"Troy!" came Ryan's voice as he was knocking on his bedroom door. "May I come in?" he asked.

"Y-yeah, Ryan. Come in." he called back.

The door swung open and revealed the blonde haired Ryan Evans. He gave a quick glance and gently closed the door behind him, making sure that no sound could be heard. Troy find it weird but he just shrug it off his head. "What is it?" he asked him.

"Uhm, listen." Ryan started, unsure whether he should tell it to Troy or not. He scratched his back as Troy waited for him to finish his sentence. "You know the new girl at school? Gabriella?" he asked and Troy couldn't figure out who this new girl is. "The girl who was picked to join the Scholastic Decathlon?" he added, hoping for a sign that Troy might remember who she was.

Troy dug deeper into his mind – and yes, he visualized the girl who was wearing a red dress during their final basketball match against West High. She was there, waving her hand as she joined the crowed of Taylor McKessie, their team captain; and Chad Danforth, the Wildcats' game tactician and his best friend as well.

"Oh, that new girl that Taylor's been hanging around with."

"Yeah, that girl." Ryan agreed with hopes on his face.

"So, what about her?" Troy asked.

Ryan scratched the back of his head once more before turning his stare to Troy. "I... I kinda like her." His words were almost soundless if only Troy didn't lean closer to him.

"What?" he laughed in disbelief. Ryan punched his arm gently and Troy stopped himself from laughing. "So, what's with that? Why are you telling that to me, Ryan? I mean, I'm _obviously not_ Gabriella."

Ryan blushed – his white complexion was showing the natural redness on his cheeks. Troy wanted to capture the moment where Ryan Evans was showing emotions for the first time for a girl. Ryan Evans was always rumored to be a homosexual because he has never showed any emotions or interest towards the opposite gender – he has always been right beside Sharpay, his twin sister, who loves singing, acting, and dancing on stage, sometimes, even shopping.

"Well, I heard she likes you." His words sounded disappointed.

Troy became serious as soon as he have absorbed Ryan's words. "Oh. Oh, I see." Was all he could manage to say. "But I don't like her. I haven't even met her so, she's all yours." He said with confidence.

Ryan nodded. "I know. And even if she turns out to be your type, I'd still consider you as my rival." He told him. "But what I'm here for is to ask you a favor."

"Okay, go ahead."

"Truth is, Gabriella's also here that's why I begged Sharpay if we could spend our summer here." He started. "And since you're with us, and Gabriella is here too. I wonder if..." Ryan looked into Troy's direction. "I wonder if..."

"If I could help you out with Gabriella?" Troy finished for him.

Ryan nodded slowly. "Would you?"

"Yeah, sure. I could do that for you."

"Thanks, Troy."

"No problem."

Both of them planned on how Troy would introduce Ryan to Gabriella. Thankfully, Sharpay's ears were out of the walls and her eyes were shut behind the cucumber slices as she was attending her facial session in her room, listening to music with her iPod.

Unlike his relationship with Sharpay, Ryan is a more of a friendly-type. Occasionally, they talk about anything that they think would be conversational – just not around Sharpay's presence of course.

--

At that night, a party was held exclusively for the members – and Troy, being a personal guest of both Ryan and Sharpay, has also been given the right to attend the party. Upon entering the cruise ship that would suppose to sail them as they party, Troy couldn't help but stare at how this simple cruise ship was made into what seemed like a Hollywood's ultimate party place for a star.

Not a single person attending the party did not go there plain and simple – they all wore diamonds! _Okay, not all. _Troy thought when he spotted a few who are not wearing diamonds but they still looked like wearing jewelries. _Most of them._

"Clearly you wouldn't want to be _just _standing there, Bolton!" came Sharpay's icy cold voice as she appeared right before his eyes.

Troy looked at her with bewilderment. If Troy would describe how Sharpay looked like at that night, a 'walking disco ball' would suit her perfectly. Her mini, silver dress, is way too sparkly this time. _At least she's not wearing her usual pink._ He noted mentally.

"For crying out loud, Bolton!" her deadly glare is coming once again. "Will you just move? There are a lot of people who would want to party, okay!" she added. And true enough, Troy was standing just a feet away from the entrance door.

"Oh. Yeah, right." He answered as he started moving away. "Have you seen Ryan?" he asked and Sharpay shot a doubtful eyes on him. As if she was smelling something fishy. "Obviously you don't want me around you, do you?" he asked her instead upon seeing the look on her face.

Sharpay sighed. "You have a point there, Bolton." She said, making it sound as if she was congratulating him or giving him an award for having a common sense as of the moment. "He's at the 

deck. You can find him there!" she answered him finally while pointing to a hall leading to the deck of the cruise ship. "Now, leave!" she ordered and as faster than lightning, Troy vanished.

Troy searched for Ryan at the deck, and the male twin of Sharpay wasn't that hard to find. He went nearer to him. "Hey."

Ryan seemed to be startled by his sudden appearance. "H-hey."

"So, where's the girl I'm supposed to help you with?"

"There." Ryan pointed through his lips.

Troy looked at where Ryan's lips were pointing. There was a group of three girls laughing – all of them were wearing simple dresses. One of them, a white-skinned girl, was wearing an orange-colored long dress, the African-American girl was wearing yellow dress, and the girl at the middle was wearing a blue dress – each with a print of floral designs.

"Is she the one on the middle?" Troy asked him. "Because the only one who looked familiar to me is that African-American girl. She was my classmate last year."

Ryan nodded. "Yeah." He answered, looking more nervous than the last hours they spent together. "That African-American girl is Taylor McKessie, she's the Science Club president where Gabriella, the one on the middle, is part of." He explained. "And the other girl is Kelsi Nielsen. She's the Drama Club's official composer."

Troy nodded in silence, making sure that this information is stuck in his mind – at least for just this moment. "Okay, I'm going now." He told him. "Just wait here, okay?"

"Okay." Ryan replied nervously.

Troy walked towards the group of three girls. "Excuse me." He called out to their attention as soon as he was near them. They all looked up to his direction and both Kelsi and Taylor looked teasingly to Gabriella.

"Yes?" Gabriella asked, biting her lower lip in the process.

"Gabriella, right?"

"Yes." She answered in excitement.

"I was wondering," he started. "Would you like to have a drink with me?" he asked, looking as though he was begging. He used his charms – meaning the "puppy eyed technique", just so that the girl wouldn't say 'no' for an answer. "Please?" he begged.

Gabriella looked at either Kelsi or Taylor whose facial expressions were all saying 'yes! Just go and don't say no!'.

"Okay. Sure." Gabriella replied.

**-- (**_**preview for the next part**_**) --**

"WHY THE _FUCK_ DID YOU _KISS_ ME FOR, BOLTON?!" she screamed in anger.

"I JUST SAVED YOUR LIFE! I DIDN'T MEAN TO KISS YOU!" he defended himself.

--

"I hope your sister and Troy are safe, Ry." She comforted him.

"Thanks, Gabriella." He smiled weakly while they both gazed in each others' eyes.

--

_**So, what do you think guys? ;) review and i'll upload the second part..**_

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	2. Chapter 2

**Here's second part… This one sucks, I know. I hope you like this one. My other fanfics are on hiatus right now and I don't think when I could update them, so until then I think I'll just make short fics…sorry… :)**

**Please read and review…I really need the review…hehe..thanks! ;)**

**I do NOT own High School Musical or any of its characters.**

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Troy Bolton woke up with a really bad case of headache. He wished for his mother's rescuing medicines so that the pain he's feeling would be gone in less than five minutes. His head is throbbing in pain – he's fully aware of that. But the cause of the pain is the thing that he's not sure of. He hadn't had a drink for more than three bottles – why would he? As his consciousness slowly slides back to him, he soon discovered that his whole body was aching too. It's as if an elephant is pushing a pressure on his whole body that he could barely move a muscle. But he mustn't give up. He must try to gain back all his consciousness before dreamland takes him away and it could worsen the pain he's feeling.

He tried opening his eyes but the rays of the sun are just too strong that he had to close them again. He felt his skin burning though he is fully aware that he has no flu or even a simple fever. He used his hand to cover his eyes from the blindening rays of the sun so he could open his eyes.

Soon, the warmth of air breezing around him came to his nostrils, accompanied by the smell of the salted water. _The sea. I can smell the sea breeze._ He thought. He rolled his body so he could be facing the sand; he gently tilted his head only to find out that there, not far from where he was, lays the motionless body of the blonde girl.

"Sharpay!" he exclaimed upon seeing her almost dead. With all his might, he tried getting up. She's just a few steps away from him. He examined her and was shocked to find out that she's barely breathing. He looked around, panicking with the situation he's facing. But no one was there.

He breathed in and breathed out the air as hardly as he could. "Sharpay? Sharpay? Wake up now, this isn't a funny joke." He half-joked to his own self knowing completely how idiot he would look like if someone ever sees him. "Playing dead is only for dogs." He finished lamely.

But nothing came. By the way she looked, Troy could almost see how pale her skin has become. What had happened? Did she drank too much that her body is filled with fluid that possibly causes her to be out of room for air? Then –

Bingo!

He had gained the memory from the previous night. They were partying at a cruise ship and at the middle of the night, just when the party starts heating up, the alarm was suddenly all over the place. The captain of the ship instructed them on what to do: _'Don't panic and safely reach the emergency boats.'_

But why did the captain told them that again? Troy searched deeper into his mind. Deeper that it caused his head ache throb twice as much as it did than a while ago. Scenes of the ship bumping into a rock that caused panic to the other passengers led them to this situation. Apparently, the crew on that ship was amazed by the party that everyone was having, failed to watch their radars – along with the beers and the hour, who wouldn't have dozed off, right?

_But it's their fucking job to keep us safe! Dammit!_ His mind protested.

His attention went back to Sharpay. He breathed in a lot of air to first relax him so that he could think of a way on how to save her. _'When a person drowns, the first thing you should do is check for airway. The next would be the breathing – look at the victim's chest to see its rise and fall.'_ He heard the nurse lecture some nursing students when he visited the hospital. They're having briefings about first aid, he supposed.

_Check for breathing – done that._ His mind told him.

'_Last is to check the circulation of blood – look for its carotid pulse.'_

He checked her pulse – he couldn't feel anything.

'_Give the patient two IVM and check for circulation for five to ten minutes.'_

_Right! IVM!_ He thought. _Wait. What the heck is an IVM?_

'_In simpler terms, give the victim an initial two full blows.'_ The voice of the nurse replied, as if the nurse is talking to him – that he is the one who is being lectured on what to do to save someone else's life.

"Oh, two full blows." He declared smiling. And just when he is about to give Sharpay her initial two full blows, Troy looked at her with great shock. _Hell, no way I'm going to give her two full blows! _Then, just looking at the motionless body of Sharpay makes him feel the guilt that he's the only one who can save her now. _Fine! Two full blows then!_

He readied himself to give Sharpay a CPR. He tilted her head and let his lips glide towards her lips. As his lips touched hers, he couldn't believe how soft her lips are – so soft that he almost forgot why he's doing that.

_Right! I'm supposed to save her – not to harass her!_ He shouted to himself in his mind, mentally noting what he is supposed to be doing.

He blew air through her mouth twice as he could remember, then he readied himself for compression. After he did that, he checked for her pulse, tilting her head again to see if air bounces back. But he wasn't really sure because he was still feeling dizzy for the moment.

Again, he leaned forward to give her the second batch of CPR starting with the 'blowing of air' thingy. Just as when his lips met with hers, Sharpay's eyes opened and was surprised to see Troy's blue eyes and his lips touching her. There was a moment of silence – regaining both their consciousness and strength.

_SLAP!_

"OUCH!" Troy screamed in pain while holding his left cheek which he thinks had become numbed because of how strong Sharpay's slap was. "EVANS THAT HURTS!"

At this rate, both Sharpay and Troy motioned in a sitting position and having only a few inches away from each others' bodies.

"ITS SUPPOSE TO HURT, YOU FUCKIN' IDIOT!" she screeched with eyes glaring dangerously. "WHY THE _FUCK_ DID YOU _KISS_ ME FOR, BOLTON?!" she demanded to know in her mid-raged form.

Troy opened his mouth to answer but he was dumbfounded with the question. "_Kiss_ you? I would _never_ want to kiss you, Evans!" he protested. "I was only giving you a first aid – a CPR to be exact! And CPR doesn't count as a kiss!" he lectured her.

"LIAR!" she screamed accusingly, pointing a finger to Troy's direction. Troy looked taken aback with her accusations. "I WAS UNCONSIOUS AND YOU KISSED ME! YOU FREAKIN' DAMN BASKETBALL BOY! DO YOU THINK THAT I'M STUPID TO FALL FOR YOUR DAMN LAME EXCUSES?!"

"I TOLD YOU, SHARPAY! I WAS ONLY GIVING YOU A CPR!" he protested, starting to shout back at Sharpay who was still looking unconvinced. "I JUST SAVED YOUR LIFE! I DIDN'T MEAN TO KISS YOU! I _DON'T_ WANT TO KISS YOU!"

"YOU JUST DID, IDIOT!"

"IT'S A CPR! DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT CPR IS? CPR IS SOMETHING YOU DO AS A FIRST AID WHEN SOMEONE DROWNS TO SAVE THEIR LIVES! AND THAT'S WHAT I JUST DID TO YOU! CPR IS NOTHING LIKE A KISS!"

"IT'S JUST ONE OF YOUR LAME EXCUSES, BOLTON!" she accused still. "CPR INCLUDES THE ACT OF TOUCHING LIPS IN WHICH IS ALSO A KISS!"

"KISSING IS DIFFERENT FROM GIVING CPR!"

"CPR _IS_ AN ACT OF KISSING STILL!"

"NO, IT'S NOT!"

"YES, IT IS!"

"NO, IT'S NOT!"

"YES, IT IS!"

"I SAID…" Troy paused. Suddenly, he felt that arguing with a stubborn person like Sharpay who only listen to what she likes to listen and say what she wants to say is meaningless and pointless – that no matter what you say or do, if she's not with you, then there's no way the arguing would end.

"You know what? My head hurts and I still feel dizzy! So if you want to believe that I kiss you, then so be it!" he said and stood up, kicking the sand as he went to the part where the trees are shading an area and he started to take a rest there.

--

Everyone who were saved from last night's accident were safely back in the resort. Ryan was still restless – his face was giving the signs of weakness and his clothes from last night is still damped. The only thing that's making him feel warm is the blanket that the employees from the resort had given him few hours ago.

There were police officers at the resort, interviewing everyone who was at the scene from last night. Ryan started moving towards the direction of the chief officer. "Sir?" he called out and the big, muscled police officer turned to him. "Is there any news about my sister and my friend?" he asked with full of hope.

The chief police officer, named Mr. Peterson, sighed before replying to him. "We have sent officers to patrol around the area where the crashing happened. So far, we haven't received anything from them. But rest assured that we will find them no matter what." He assured him.

"Please do, Mr. Peterson." Ryan begged.

Mr. Peterson nodded.

"Ryan?" someone called out to him from behind as soon as Mr. Peterson went to the other victims. He turned around and saw the brunette girl from last night – Gabriella. She has changed her clothes and looked perfectly pretty.

He smiled as she approached her. "Hey." He called back weakly.

"I heard what happened to your sister and Troy." She started and he looked more depressed. "I really hope that they'll be found before this day ends." She added. Those words meant to make him feel comforted but for some odd reason, it made him more worry about his twin sister and his friend.

"I hope so too, Gabriella."

There was a moment of silence before Gabriella started talking to him again. "Oh, and by the way. I wanted to thank you for saving me last night. Without you, I might have drowned in there. Thank you very much." She told him sincerely.

Ryan gave her a smile. He breathed air as deeply as he could, then slowly, he suddenly felt how exhausted he was. His body couldn't take it anymore and just before he could say anything to Gabriella, his visions became blurry and the last thing he saw was the fading figure of Gabriella.

"RYAN!" she exclaimed. "SOMEONE, PLEASE HELP!" Those were the last words he heard before completely losing his consciousness and he even felt her soft hands reaching for his aid.

--

When Troy felt that he has gained back his strength, he opens his eyes gently. The air is warm enough that he could tell it's already afternoon, although unsure of the exact time. He inhaled some air and reminisced once more while he was staring at the calm sea.

_Gabriella was giggling a few minutes after introducing her to Ryan. He thought that they look good together – that they look perfect for each other. All this time that he thought Ryan was a complete gay, it suddenly turned out that he thought wrong about him._

_He secretly smiled at the sight of the two of them. 'Who would have thought that Ryan could be a lady's man?' he asked himself secretly._

"_Boots are so yesterday!" Sharpay's voice suddenly came as she and her three minions entered the deck. Each of them holding a glass of margaritas. "Marc Ecko is the new fab today!" she added as she drank a bit of her margarita._

_Troy managed to give her a glance – secretly. From the way he could see, she seemed to be drunk. He shook his head. 'She's so wasted!' he thought to himself._

"_Yeah, so I heard too." Mandy, another blondie who's hair is shoulder length, agreed. "I even saw the commercial where Ashley Tisdale and Vanessa Hudgens are the models of the shoes." She declared, hoping that she could get some appreciation from Sharpay._

"_Oh, my God! Mandy, I have watched the commercial even before it was officially aired on national television. Where have you been?!" she harshly told her instead and the girl named Mandy felt ashamed and disappointed that Sharpay did not seemed to appreciate her._

_He gave yet another sigh, feeling pity for the poor girl Mandy. "Ryan, I'll just go grab something to bite. I'll be back later." He told him and he gave a smile to Gabriella before leaving. As soon as he made his way to the counter at the deck, he accidentally bumped into someone. "I'm sorr —"_

"_AAARRGGGHHH!! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, STUPID HEAD!"_

_He looked at her. Sharpay! He rolled his eyes. 'Of all the people that's here tonight, why do I have to bump with the girl I hate the most?' he asked himself, not really speaking it directly just to avoid un-necessary scenes._

_She glared at her. But before she could say anything, the emergency alarm made the people panic. "Please go safely to the emergency boats as we're going to evacuate you to safety." The voice of the captain was heard through the speakers. But no one seemed to be listening – everyone panicked more when the ship had started crashing to the rocks._

_There were screaming and crying. "AAARRRGGHHH!!"_

_He managed to hold to the railings as some of the passengers were sliding towards the deck as the ship was slanting on one side. Not far from where he was holding was Sharpay – she was losing grip from where she's holding on._

"_Sharpay!" he called._

_But it didn't helped. Sharpay loses her grip and immediately, he went to rescue her. "HOLD ON!" he instructed her as he grabbed her hand on his one hand, and the other holding to the rails on the deck. "DON'T LET GO!"_

"_AAARRGGHH! BEHIND YOU!" she screamed._

_Troy looked behind him and a flying chair was going at his direction. He was suspended just looking at the chair fast approaching his way. And before it could hit him real hard on the head, the ship inclined more which made him and Sharpay both smash the waters. The last thing he could remember is saving the drowning Sharpay and when he woke up, they're already out of the water area._

He looked beside him when reality pulled his mind back. Sharpay was lying on the side, facing his direction. She was asleep and he could tell that she's as exhausted as he was. He studied the face of the girl – he suspected that she washed her whole body in the waters because there wasn't any trace of dirt on her anymore.

_She looks like an angel when she's sleeping._ He thought. And even without any make-up, he thinks that she still looks beautiful. He smiled to himself while watching her sleep soundlessly on his side. His eyes stopped at the sight of her lips – they were pink and thin. He was then reminded of how soft they felt on his lips.

His smile grew wider with that thought. _Oh, shit! Am I really thinking that way?! Yikes!_ His thought scolded him as his smile became a thin straight line on his lips. He stood up and decided to look for something which they can eat. He walked towards the entrance of the forest but he chooses to stay near from where they were resting so that he could go back instantly when he needs to.

--

Ryan is slowly opening his eyes as he was obtaining his consciousness. He was lying on his bed. He suddenly stood up when he heard his own bathroom flushed some water on the sink. He opened the bathroom door and the brunette-haired girl squeaked in shock.

"Ryan?"

"Gabriella?"

"You're finally awake!"

"What are you doing here?"

"I was looking out for you."

"Huh?"

"You lost consciousness awhile ago so I asked for help to bring you up here."

"Thanks."

"No." she said. "I should be the one thanking you. You saved my life last night."

He smiled weakly.

"Are you hungry?"

He looked blankly at her.

"Because if you are, that's good. I prepared food for you in case you woke up, which you did."

"You prepared food?"

Gabriella nodded. "About five minutes ago. I thought you'd be hungry once you gained your consciousness back, so basically, I kind of touched the food on your fridge."

He was nodding as he listens to everything she said, registering every words that's coming out of her mouth. He looked at himself – he's clean!

"Who…?"

"I did." She said shyly.

Ryan's eyes widened as he looked at his body and gulped.

Gabriella giggled. Those were the cutest giggles he had ever heard. "Don't worry, I didn't harass you."

He cleared his throat. "T-thanks!"

"So, are you hungry?"

He nodded stiffly.

"Good! Let's head to the dining area." she told him while excusing herself in the way. "Ryan?" she called out when Ryan didn't follow her.

--

"What the hell are you doing here?" Sharpay asked and Troy was shocked at the sudden appearance of Sharpay beside him – so shocked that he almost threw everything he was holding. "What are those things?" she asked while pointing at the things that Troy was holding.

"Food!" he said shortly.

They weren't so far from where they were shading a while ago so Sharpay might have noticed where Troy was and she decided to know what he was doing.

Sharpay looked at what Troy calls food. They are small, dark red in color, and almost looked like a miniature of grapes. The other one looks like a fruit with a dark yellow color. "Eww! Troy?!" she frowned. Troy looked at her in surprise. "That's not food!" she told him.

"What?" he asked. "But they looked like fruits, Sharpay!"

She slapped Troy's hands, making him throw the 'fruits' he was holding.

"What did you do that for?" he asked, almost angrily. "I'm hungry!"

Sharpay grabbed his shirt, making sure that she wouldn't make a contact with his palm. She pulled him out of the forest's entrance and went back to where they were resting before. "Sit down!" she said and Troy sat on the sand while Sharpay remained standing.

He wanted to look at her perfect and flawless legs but he chooses to look up at her face instead. "What is it now, Sharpay?" he asked.

She scratched her head. "Stay here!" she ordered him. "Ano don't touch any of your body parts or you'll be sorry!" she demanded and left Troy.

'What?!' Troy mouthed the word without muttering a word.

After a few minutes, Sharpay was back and sat across Troy. With her are rocks and some leaves. She pounded the leaves and Troy suddenly felt itchy. "Don't scratch!" Sharpay ordered him without even looking at him.

"But I feel itchy!" he protested.

"That's your fault for being stupid, Bolton!" she said.

"Hey!"

Sharpay glared at him while pounding the leaves harder.

"You're right." He finished lamely.

"Give me your hands." She told him when she finished pounding the leaves.

Troy wanted to protest but he did what Sharpay ordered him to do. He gave him his hand and Sharpay started placing the smashed leaves on his hands where there are red spots which looks like rashes.

"Wait for it until you don't feel itchy anymore." She told him and he nodded in agreement. "And while you're still '_itchy-prone_' there, don't you ever come near me if you don't want me to drown you. Clear?!"

Troy nodded. "Clear."

"God, I hate being stranded with idiots!" she mumbled but Troy heard her still. He just gave her a look which she totally ignored.

From the moment they saw no one and saw nothing except for the two of them, they knew that they are stranded and only God knows how long they'll have to be together. For starters, Troy and Sharpay are the last persons on earth who would like to be stranded alone in an island. And there are other reasons why they really shouldn't be stranded together.

Troy likes simplicity.

Sharpay loves sparkles.

Troy thinks pink is way too girly.

Sharpay thinks blue is boring.

Troy likes helping other people.

Sharpay loves making people's lives miserable.

Troy loves the court.

Sharpay lives the theatrical life.

Troy loves to walk and run as a form of exercise.

Sharpay follows a certain diet to keep her slim figure.

Troy thinks Sharpay as a real devil.

Sharpay sees Troy as an idiot.

Troy never went to any musicale show.

Sharpay despises sports that includes sweating – and basketball is one.

Troy and Sharpay are different.

Troy and Sharpay are the exact opposite of each other.

Troy and Sharpay secretly hopes for a miracle that they'll be save from each other's company.

Will they be really found soon?

Troy keeps his hopes high. _Please save me from her. Please let the people find us as soon as possible. I cherish my life more than you ever know, dear God. I'm still young and I still want to live my life a little longer. I still want to meet every stars of NBA and be part of it someday. Please, save me from Sharpay._ He was praying hard – real hard.


	3. Chapter 3

**Third part of my fanfic – stranded. Two more to go and this one is finished! Hehehe.**

**By the way, I really don't have any idea about things like being stranded or anything about herbal medicines and poisonous plants so I can't name some here. Hope you understand and still like this story… :)**

**Please read and review… :)**

**I do NOT own High School Musical or any of its characters.**

* * *

"You really make delicious food, Gabriella." Ryan complimented her as they both are walking at the shore. They could both see the sea patrollers looking for his twin sister and Troy.

"They'll be okay." She comforted him when she saw his face changed from delightful to worry.

He displayed a fake smile. "I hope so."

"Hey. Don't say those kind of words." She scolded him sweetly. He looked at her. "You know, words like that doesn't help on times like these. It's always better to think positively than consuming yourself with negativity. Because if that happens, you'll age easily – and aging easily is something us –youths, should avoid. We should enjoy life while we still can."

Ryan wanted to laugh of how she talks. "You know, you're really something Gabriella." He said.

"Thank you. I assume it's a compliment?" she asked, smiling sweetly at him.

He nodded. "Yes, it was."

"GABRIELLA!" someone called out to her and together with Ryan, they turned to the one who called her. They saw Taylor McKessie – Gabriella's closest friend at East High. She was approaching their direction.

"Hey, Tay. What's up?" she asked.

"We're being moved out of our room, that's what's up!" she told her ungratefully.

"What? Why?"

Taylor looked at Ryan for a moment. "I hope I won't offend you or something, Evans, but." She started, not really sure if she should tell her what's going on. "Your sister's friends? Mandy, Chloe, and Jenny? They're making us move out of our room and since they're also members here in this resort, the staff couldn't do anything but to move us out of our rooms!" she told him bluntly instead of telling it to Gabriella.

"What?" was all Ryan could say. He shook his head for a moment and ran towards the hotel. Gabriella and Taylor followed him. On the receiving area of the hotel, they saw Kelsi Nielsen sitting on the couch together with their luggages. She looks pitiful and problematic.

"Kelsi!" Gabriella squealed in worry.

Kelsi looked at the fast approaching Gabriella together with Ryan and Taylor. "Mandy, Chloe, and Jenny banned us from occupying a room." She told her as soon as she was right in front of her. She rolled her eyes on Ryan in particular. "Hey, your ex-girlfriend's mad at us!" he told him.

"Ex-girlfriend?" Ryan repeated, looking lost.

Kelsi looked at him. "Chloe?"

"She's not my ex-girlfriend!" he answered truthfully. "In fact, we've never been a couple!"

"She's still mad at us because of you, Ry!"

"Wait, why are those bitches so mad at us anyway?" Taylor asked in anger.

Kelsi stood up, facing Ryan. "Actually, Chloe's the only one who is really mad." She corrected. "But not with us, Tay. Just with Gabriella." Gabriella looked shocked.

"What did I do?" she asked.

"I think I know why." Ryan said before Kelsi could even answer. Taylor and Gabriella looked at him. "Chloe has been giving me hints that she likes me, but I told her that all I can offer her is friendship and nothing more than that." He told them.

"And you being in the picture?" Kelsi was telling I to Gabriella. "There's no doubt she'll make your life miserable."

"For now!" Taylor interfered and they looked at her. "I mean, no offense to you again, Evans boy, but without Sharpay, she'll act as if she's the boss. If Sharpay's around, she's just nothing but a little minion who polishes Sharpay's nails!"

--

Troy was hesitating on whether he should approach Sharpay or not. She was sitting near the shore, her back was facing him. He studied her from behind. She looked down, she was sitting in a position where she's embracing her knees as her chin was also touching it.

_She looks sad._ He thought.

"Sharpay?" he called out to her.

She looked at him – her face was nothing like the Sharpay he used to know. She was full of sadness and innocence at that moment. Her eyebrows aren't colliding with each other – in fact, he couldn't trace any negative aura around her that time.

"What do you want?" she asked and started looking back at the ocean.

He sat beside her. "Well, I'm itch-free now." He joked lamely. She just gave him a smirk. "Uhm, listen. I'm sorry for troubling you a while ago. I was only trying to look for food so that we could have something to eat."

She did not answer him. She remained quiet while looking deeply into the sea.

"And thanks, by the way." He added before he starts standing up.

"You're welcome." She replied.

Troy stopped and gave a last look on Sharpay who was also standing up. She headed towards the sea and Troy was staring at her. Soon, when the water is on her hip-level, she started diving in and Troy's eyes widened. "Hey! You can't swim your way back to the resort!" he said but he knew that Sharpay wouldn't hear him.

After a minute, Sharpay emerged from the water and Troy imagined her to be a mermaid but he dismissed the thought instantly. "There are fishes here." She told him. "Find something which we can use as a spear to catch these fishes for dinner." She ordered him as she walked back to the shore.

Troy nodded and went to find their selves a spear. While his eyes are busy looking for spears, his mind keeps on bugging him whit question like 'how did she knew that those fruit-looking thingies aren't fruits?' or 'how did she knew the cure of the allergies I just had?' and lastly, 'how on earth did she knew about looking for spears to catch fishes?'.

And there, just on the middle part of the forest, lies a spear – not just a stick with sharp edges, but real spears. He looked around. _Could it be that someone lives here? _He thought. _Could it be that we're not stranded at all?_

He breathed deeply and reached for the spears slowly – so slow he was looking around him for companions. He then gets a hold of the spears but still, there was no one who came into the picture – no one even looked out at an old tee house not far from where he is. Troy sighed as he went back to the shore.

_Huh?_ He stopped. Did he really saw a tree house? He wasn't sure. He turned around and there – an old tree house. It's rather small but he's sure that he and Sharpay can still occupy that space. He decided to check it out. The 'stairs' is made up of a thick rope which is covered with algae which he thought that it would look better if it was covered with vines that sprouts flowers in it.

Wait, did he just thought about that? _Yikes!_ Troy shrugged it off his mind and climbed himself to the tree house. It looks like it had been abandoned for ages ago – you can find thick layers of dust everywhere, covering from the floor to the ceiling. It's smaller than his room, that's for sure. And on one side, there was a wood which looks like a bed – or so he thought it would be. On the bedside lies a window.

_Oh, yeah! Sharpay's waiting for the spears!_ His thought reminded him. He went down as fast as he could, carrying the spears he found, back to where Sharpay might be waiting for him. _God, I hope I won't be lost._ He prayed silently.

--

"Are you sure it's okay for us to stay here?" Taylor asked Ryan as they all entered the penthouse where Troy, Sharpay, and him are supposed to be staying. Taylor was still looking around the penthouse, she couldn't believe her eyes – everything looks expensive. _And flashy for Sharpay's sake._

Ryan nodded. "Chloe banned you for getting a room, right?" the three girls nodded. "So that means, you can't get a room _if_ you use your name for getting a room. And clearly, it's my fault that she's mad at you girls so this is the least I can do for you." He said humbly.

"Ryan, we can always go back to town." Gabriella said.

"And spend the rest of the summer in boredom?" he retorted. "I don't think so. I have to repay you for looking out for me, somehow." He told Gabriella who wanted to answer back but Ryan put up his hand. "Do you really want Chloe to make your lives miserable?"

Gabriella opened her mouth but no words came out from it. She sighed instead. "Well, no. But…"

"You'll stay here then?" he asked and looked at either Taylor or Kelsi.

"Okay." Taylor answered.

"You can occupy Troy's room." He pointed at the room near the entrance door. "Sharpay's room is locked. I bet she locked it before going to the party." He added with a tone of sadness in his voice.

--

Troy watched Sharpay as they both made their way to the old tree house. The fishes they caught are on his shirt – and oh yeah, he's topless and he doesn't seem to care. What he cares about right now is how hungry he is and at the same time, how Sharpay can be very much of a help.

"You idiot! Use friction!" Sharpay was bellowing at him when they were about to cook the fishes for dinner. "Haven't you learned anything from school?" she sarcastically asked.

Troy looked bewildered at the blonde shouting at him. Her glares are on fire once again. "But…"

"No 'buts' you idiot! START MAKING FIRE BEFORE I'LL START HEATING UP IN RAGE!" she ordered and stood from the grounds, making her way on the deserted tree house. She left him looking amused as she started making disgusted expression painted on her face upon seeing the dusty, dark room – okay, not completely dark because the moon somehow lights up the small tree house.

"No electricity, no gadgets, and no sparkles!" she hissed to herself. "How am I supposed to live through this?" she added hissing to herself more, pouting her lips and scrunching her nose while crumpling her forehead.

"WHOA!!" she then heard Troy's almost scream in terror below the tree house.

Sharpay then decided to take a look on him. "WHAT ARE YOU SCREAMING ABOUT?" she shouted.

Troy gazed up on her. "The fire almost ate me alive!" he replied in horror, pointing at the fire he created through friction as he was down on butt on the grounds.

Sharpay rolled her eyes on him. "You damn idiot! JUST COOK THE FISH BEFORE I TURN INTO A VAMPIRE AND EAT_ YOU _ALIVE!"

Troy gazed at the sight of the blonde girl's head disappearing in the window. He couldn't believe how Sharpay can be sometimes – it's like one minute she'll give you her deadly glares and another minute, she'll act like she's such an innocent girl. The next thing you know – she's back to being _the_ Ice Princess everyone knew.

Troy thought every 'what if's' about Sharpay. Like "what if she's not the Ice Princess everyone knew? That she's a loving and caring lovely princess?" or "what if Sharpay was never born rich and popular? Would she act like she's a down-to-earth angel?" but oddly, he also thought about another 'what if' that he even amused himself – "what if he falls in love with Sharpay?"

He shook it off his head immediately. The thought scared him the most. Picture this: Sharpay is a brat and a royal pain in the head, that's for sure. And if ever anyone would imagine her being a sweet person, they'll be suffering from severe head ache and brain malfunction – a very traumatic experience indeed.

Then, he remembered the scene earlier this day. Her sad face and calm voice while looking at the ocean, her eyes are full of longing that even if she won't say it her eyes tells more than what his ears wanted to hear.

_Was Sharpay pretending to be cruel to hide her real self?_ He thought, gazing at the empty window where Sharpay's head vanished into the small room.


	4. Chapter 4

**Fourth Chapter. Second to the last chapter. Thanks for adding this story to your favorites and**** story alerts' list, as well as adding me on your favorite author's list. It really means a lot to me. This is for everyone who are waiting for the update.. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this. **_((preview at the bottom))_

**Read and review.**** :)**

**Don't own High School Musical or any of its characters.**

* * *

Gabriella walked out of the bedroom, leaving Kelsi and Taylor in deep sleep. Their bedroom was dark and the only light coming in was the light from the moon. She couldn't sleep well and so she decided to take some fresh air on the penthouse's terrace. She opened the glass sliding door and paused at the sight of Ryan Evans, slowly facing her way. "Couldn't sleep either?"

She smiled and nodded. "You too?"

Ryan nodded in agreement.

She went beside him and let the cold night's breeze touch their faces. Both of them are watching the starry sky. For a moment, they stayed like that – silently watching the stars twinkling above them. Ryan turned to Gabriella. He was mesmerized by the innocence her eyes was displaying.

"I never thought that your eyes twinkle like a star, Gabriella." He told her.

Gabriella looked back at him and she smiled sweetly. "I never thought you're such a joker." She said in a joking manner as she giggles.

Ryan finds them cute. "Right." He said sarcastically.

Gabriella playfully slapped his arm. "I was just joking."

"I know."

Again, moment of silence was shared by the two as they gazed into each other's eyes.

Gabriella was so focused on his eyes and lips that she didn't even notice how close she was getting into Ryan's face. She gave another glance on his eyes before she completely shut her own pair of eyes. Ryan felt the softness of her lips. It was the first time he had kissed a girl – a real kiss, that is. Not just that it felt soft, but for some odd reason, he thought it tastes sweet.

Compared to Gabriella's kiss, Chloe's nothing. She had been hitting on him for ages and had also snatched a kiss from him when he was sleeping that made him doesn't want to be near her anymore. But Chloe doesn't give up that easily. He just hates her when she uses everything to get what she wants – she even took her angry on poor Gabriella. But thanks to her, he's spending the night with Gabriella.

--

"WHOAA!" Troy suddenly woke up when he felt an arm wrapping around his body. The room was dark and his body felt cold. _Where the heck is my blanket?_ His mind ranted upon realizing that he's sleeping without covers.

"WAAAHH!!" Troy screamed in terror as a silhouette of a girl appeared right before his eyes. Thinking of what it could be – a ghost, an angel, or maybe a devil who will take his soul away from his body.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SCREAMING ABOUT NOW, BOLTON?!" she snarled.

He looked blankly, holding his chest in terror. "Sharpay?" he whispered.

"YEAH, IDIOT! WHO ELSE?!"

"God! I thought you're a ghost."

"You believe in such a thing?"

"No."

"Liar!"

"Hey!"

"I'M GOING BACK TO SLEEP, SO SHUT UP!" she ordered and started lying down on their built-in bed. The light coming from the moon is carving out the curves of her body and Troy looked away in an instant. He doesn't want to be caught by Sharpay studying her figure because if she caught him, he'll be her next meal for tomorrow. He decided to lie down as well.

--

Gabriella pulled away and gasped for air and so did Ryan. She rested her head on his chest and Ryan just embraced her, still feeling the cold night's air. "This is odd." She whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Everything around us is air and yet we seemed like we're short of breath." She added.

Ryan smirked as his embraces tightened. "Stay." He whispered, closing his eyes and kissing Gabriella's forehead.

She smiled and tightened her embrace as well.

--

After waking up from his slumber, Troy couldn't seem to go back to sleep. Especially now that he felt Sharpay's body shivering in cold. Compared to him, Sharpay's clothes were almost like nothing. He was having second thoughts on whether he should just hug her to give her warmth or just let her be before she could suspect him of taking advantage.

He turned his back on her only to turn back again and faced her shivering body. He took a deep breath and gathered all the strength and courage he has. Slowly, and gently, Troy put his left arm on Sharpay's head, making it her pillow, as he embraced her using his free hand. For a moment, Sharpay stopped shivering.

--

The next morning, Taylor and Kelsi found Gabriella and Ryan cuddled up on their white sofa when they woke up. Kelsi and Taylor exchanged glances and a devious smile was painted all over their faces. Taylor tiptoed upon going back to their room and took out her cell phone with built-in camera in it. She took a picture on the two as a souvenir and before they could take more pictures of them, Ryan cleared his throat and unconsciously put his arms around Gabriella.

Kelsi went around them with her own cell phone but she came to a stop when the screen of Ryan's laptop caught her attention. She put her cell phone on her pocket and gently took Ryan's laptop. She sat on the vacant couch and put the laptop on her lap.

"Kelsi!" Taylor called out in a whispering manner so that Ryan and Gabriella wouldn't wake up. "What are you doing?"

Kelsi looked at her. "Come here." She told Taylor and she intriguingly went beside Kelsi. She pointed at the map on the screen to Taylor. "This is the map of the resort and the island near this resort." She explained. "Ryan and Gabriella must have been working on this to find Sharpay and Troy." She guessed.

Taylor looked closer to the screen. "What are those x's for?"

Kelsi looked at the places marked with red x's as well. "Maybe those were the places that the rescuers have been and didn't find Sharpay and Troy in there." She guessed again as they both looked closely at the screen.

"Every possible place they could be into is marked with x's!" Taylor announced. "Wait." She said again, looking directly at the monitor as if seeing something that only her own eyes could detect.

"What?" Kelsi asked eagerly.

Taylor snatched the laptop from Kelsi who didn't protest from what her friend did. Taylor knelt down and placed the laptop back to the center table, only this time it's facing the both of them. Taylor clicked on the map and dragged it downwards so that the upper part of the map could be revealed.

"Tay, what is it?" Kelsi asked once more.

Taylor pointed at the small dot that had been left alone. She clicked again to zoom on the dot and there – a victorious smile was slowly showing off her face. "Kelsi, there's a small island near the resort and the rescuers haven't been there." She announced triumphantly, hoping Kelsi could get the hint she was giving her.

Luckily, Kelsi did get the hint she was giving her. Her eyes grew bigger and together, they clapped their hands and screamed in laughters – causing Ryan and Gabriella to wake up.

"What's up, Tay?" Gabriella asked in a sleepy voice.

"WE'VE FOUND TROY AND SHARPAY!" Kelsi and Taylor announced happily, jumping off the tiled floor.

"Oh. You've found them." Ryan said sleepily and together with Gabriella, they went back to their original position when they were sleeping.

Taylor and Kelsi's jaws dropped as they both watched Ryan and Gabriella.

When realizations hit both Ryan and Gabriella, and as soon as Taylor and Kelsi's words registered to their minds, the couple woke up looking at their friends. "You've found them?" Gabriella squeaked and her friends nodded.

Gabriella held up her hands as she stood up from the sofa and jumped for victory, and so as Ryan. They were hugging each other which made Taylor and Kelsi watch them for entertainment. When the couple was aware of what they were doing, they let go of each other and shyly turned to their friends – faces flushed in red.

--

Sharpay felt warm. She was sure it wasn't the fireplace on her bedroom, nor the heater she had just paid to built in her room. It was something wrapped around her and it felt good. There was another thing which made her felt good – the scent of a perfume which she's sure it's not hers. In fact, this is the first time she had smelled that kind of perfume – not too strong but not too light as well.

She cuddled on the thing that makes her feel warm. She felt clothes – warm clothes. She opened her eyes. _Troy!_ She glared at the sight of him sleeping beside her, worse – he's embracing her. She wanted to shout but upon seeing the sleeping face of the boy beside her – holding her like she was something he'd protect whether consciously or unconsciously.

She smiled, not knowing why, but she just smiled. For a moment, she chose to study her nemesis. His lips were kissable and even if she was unconscious when he kissed her, which Troy pointed out as just giving her CPR, it wouldn't change the fact that she hadn't had the chance to prove if his lips _are_ kissable!

She stopped smiling at that. She even stopped studying his face. And when she doesn't like what she was feeling and thinking, she threw Troy's hands off her and began standing from their bed. Troy, on the other hand, was startled at the thought that Sharpay would start yelling at him early in the morning. But she didn't.

He followed her with mere gazes as she went down of their tree house, never looking back to him. He soon poked out his head on the window-hole. Sharpay was heading to the beach area. "Sharpay!" he called out but she wasn't looking back. "Sharpay, where are you going?" he asked again. Still, no response from her and that's when he chooses to follow her.

--

Taylor and Kelsi teamed up to gather helpful information about the islet near the resort. Ryan and Gabriella were teamed up as well. Taylor was the one who found the islet while Gabriella was the one who came across the name of the islet: _Lost Isle_.

"Excuse me, Mister." Taylor called out to one of the waiters near the pool area. The waiter stopped for a moment. Taylor and Kelsi are still considered as guests. "Do you know anything about this… _lost isle?_" she asked.

"An island near this resort." Kelsi added.

The waiter shook his head apologetically. "Sorry, Ma'am. I'm just new around here." He told them. "Why don't you ask our manager instead? I'm sure he must have heard about it."

"Okay. Thanks." They both told him and went to ask someone else.

--

Ryan sat frustratedly over the couch on the lobby area. Gabriella went to his side to comfort him. "Ryan, come on. I'm sure that somehow, someone must have heard about the _lost isle_." She encouraged him.

"But, we've been asking almost everybody for the past two hours now and no one seemed to have knowledge about it." he replied, agitatedly. "It's like that island doesn't really exist!" he added hotly. "Maybe it did exist at some point and it just sunk a thousand years ago!"

Gabriella sighed and sat beside him. She held on to Ryan's hand. "Well, maybe it didn't." she opposed. "Maybe there _is_ an island… you know we have the right information. Maybe we're just asking the wrong person, Ryan."

Ryan looked at her. He was losing hope and patience on finding out about this lost isle.

Gabriella started standing up once more, pulling Ryan's hand. "Come on, Ry. Let's go and find some information about this _'Lost Isle'_."

Ryan stood up tiredly and just then, an old woman went near to them. Gabriella looked at her quizzically. She has gray hair and healthy figure. She even guessed that she's one rich woman because of the gold, rubies, and not to mention, the diamonds she was wearing as her jewelries.

"Mrs. Lewis." Ryan greeted the old woman. "How may I help you?" he asked.

Mrs. Lewis smiled at him. "Such a polite boy you really are, Ryan." She complimented and patted Ryan's head like he was a four-year-old boy. Ryan simply smiled. "Basing from what I heard on this beautiful young woman," she referred to Gabriella who smiled shyly. "I think you're the one in need of my help."

Ryan and Gabriella exchanged glances at what Mrs. Lewis told them.

--

Troy found Sharpay diving on the waters again. He kicked the sand. He's the guy and he's the one who should be doing all the stuff that Sharpay was doing – he was supposed to be the one taking care of her and not the other way around. _Yeah! And instead of just watching her do all these for you, Bolton, why don't you start helping out? _His mind ranted, sounding more like Sharpay.

He went near to the water area and dived into it. He was near on the chest-level area when he saw Sharpay who looked like drowning. And as much as he wanted to call out her name, he couldn't – he's underwater for God's sake. He went to her and for the fourth time now, he was saving her.

They both came out of water – Troy carrying Sharpay and she was clinging onto him. Troy walked his way to the shore, still carrying Sharpay around him. And when his feet touched the sand, he gently put Sharpay down and sat beside her. "What happened to you? Are you alright? You got me worried!" he exclaimed in one breath.

She was astonished at his last words, making her look at him.

Troy looked back. And for a moment, they were both locked in each other's gazes.

"Damn, it hurts!" Sharpay broke the silence and gazes between them when she felt the pain on her right leg.

Troy went to it. "Cramps?" he asked.

"Yeah." Sharpay answered softly, pain still registered on her face.

Troy held her right leg and started massaging it.

--

"The 'Lost Isle', eh?" Mr. Lewis, the owner of the resort, repeated to Taylor and Kelsi who nodded in agreement, eager to know about the island where they were hoping to find Troy and Sharpay. He smirked. "Yeah, I've heard of it. In fact, I've been stranded there myself."

Taylor and Kelsi looked at each other in bewilderment.

"You did?" Taylor asked.

Mr. Lewis nodded. "Only few people knew about the island, which is why I think no one knows it existed." He told them, his eyes were on the sea. "How did you know about the island?" he asked, turning to both Taylor and Kelsi.

"We've come across it over the internet map." Kelsi answered.

"It was just a small dot, though. It's as if it's not really there and the only way you would know that the island exists is when you zoom it twice." It was Taylor.

"Or thrice." Kelsi wasn't really sure how many times they zoomed in before making sure it was really an island and not just a mere dot on the map they have found.

Mr. Lewis laughed slightly. "Well, the island is rather small."

"Yeah." Taylor said. "We kinda observed that as well."

--

"So, do you think that my sister, along with our friend, is probably stranded over there?" Ryan asked Mrs. Lewis.

Mrs. Lewis smiled. "Do you?" she returned the question with more meaning.

Gabriella and Ryan exchanged questioning looks.

"Coast guard says they've been every possible places where those two could be but they didn't told us anything about the Lost Isle." It was Gabriella. "If what you tell us is true, that the island is small which is why it's hard to make out of its land mass on the map, unless you zoom through it, then they must be there." She concluded.

Once more, Mrs. Lewis smiled. "Let me tell you a little tale I know about the island." She told them instead.

--

_The island is not just an island…_

"Troy, we need breakfast." Sharpay told him.

Troy merely looked at her while he was still massaging her leg. "Then I'll go look for breakfast as soon as your cramps is gone, Sharpay." He replied and went back on massaging her leg. "Does it feel better now?"

_It is believed that it is full of mystery…_

"Yeah." She replied shortly. "I guess…"

Troy smirked.

_It brings two people of the opposite worlds__ together…_

"I miss my sparkles!"

"I miss playing basketball."

"I miss theatre."

"I miss the court."

"I miss pink!"

"I miss seeing blue!"

_To see things in common…_

"Troy, the sky is blue." She pointed up her fingers on the sky.

"Sharpay, when the sun is setting, sometimes it has a pinkish color in it – just the darker shade."

_T__o know more about each other…_

"You know, I never thought you're a caring person, Sharpay. Seeing you like this makes me feel like I'm with a whole new, different person."

"Is that bad?"

He shook his head. "No."

_To forget about their differences…_

"I miss watching Disney Channel…"

"Me, too."

Sharpay turned to him. "You watch Disney?" she asked in disbelief.

"I _love_ Disney."

_And share a feeling that fate had brought them together…_

Sharpay looked at the clear blue sky.

Troy watched her silently.

"Your eyes looks just like the sky." She told him, still focusing on the sky.

Troy smiled. "Your smiles shine more than the stars above the sky."

Sharpay looked at him, he looked back. And once again, they are locked on each other's gazes. Silence filled in between them, savoring every moment they spent together. They have forgotten the fact that they are stranded on an island with the person they once hated on this world. They have started seeing things in common; they have knew more about each other; they have overcome their differences; and right now, they are sharing one simple feeling they never knew they'd start feeling towards each other.

--

"…Love." Mr. Lewis finished sharing the story with the two girls. He turned to them once more.

"Love?" Taylor and Kelsi repeated doubtfully.

"Is Sharpay even capable of that?" Taylor asked to no one in particular, turning to Kelsi.

Mr. Lewis was the one who turned to her. "Well, young lady." He called out softly to Taylor. "Everyone is capable of love."

--

"So you mean to say that Troy and Sharpay weren't stranded there _accidentally_?" Gabriella was clearing her point. "That would be _un_scientific."

Mrs. Lewis laughed slightly. "My dear, science has nothing to do when it comes to love." She replied. "Because if science _is_ related to love, then can you answer why people fall in love even if they've just known each other over a night? Or perhaps… _days_?"

Gabriella was stunned by her question. It's as if Mrs. Lewis had just found out about her falling in love with Ryan even if she just met him the night the accident happened. She looked away timidly. For the first time, science failed to rescue her from one simple question.

"The Lost Isle…" Mrs. Lewis went back to the topic and both Gabriella and Ryan gave their whole attention to her once more. "…is also known as _The Lovers' Isle_." She smiled at them both. "If you had just used it instead of its other name, then you wouldn't have had problems finding about it."

--

"Lovers' Isle?" Taylor repeated.

Mr. Lewis nodded. "Every twenty-five years, there are two people – one girl and one boy – being stranded on that island. It's as if there's a mystical force surrounding that island which brought two different people together and can only be found when they started falling in love with each other."

Taylor and Kelsi looked at each other once more.

"So, it's like it's where cupid lives?" Kelsi asked.

Mr. Lewis nodded happily. "Well, you can say that." He answered. "It's as if the island itself gives the reason why those people stranded there would fall in love in the end, or…" Taylor and Kelsi looked excited upon hearing more about the island. "It urges the two people to bring out what they have been feeling about each other for a long time and they were just afraid to admit it."

At that moment, Mrs. Lewis came joining them followed by Ryan and Gabriella.

"Did you…" Ryan and Gabriella was pointing at their friends while Mrs. Lewis and hugging Mr. Lewis. Both their friends nodded as if they have just read their minds.

"These kids…" Mrs. Lewis started telling her husband, mostly pointing at Ryan and Gabriella's direction. "They were asking me about The Lovers' Island." She finished happily. The smile on her face was priceless, like it was bringing a very significant event that had happened to her.

Mr. Lewis smiled back at his own wife. "So as these kids." He told her, pointing at Taylor and Kelsi.

"Mr. Lewis." It was Kelsi who came to talk first. "When you said you were also stranded on the island, could it be…" she looked at Mrs. Lewis.

Mr. Lewis nodded, not waiting for her to finish her question.

"I was stranded with this hot-tempered man twenty-five years ago." Mrs. Lewis happily announced.

The three girls exchanged looks.

"Hot-tempered?" Ryan repeated doubtfully. "But I haven't seen Mr. Lewis being hot-tempered."

Mrs. Lewis laughed, as well as her husband. "That's because we haven't been stranded then." She told them. "If only we were born today, you would be pissed at how bossy he could be. He's like '_do this or I'll kick your ass'_!" she told them and they were both laughing.

"Wow! Sounds like Sharpay." Taylor couldn't help but voice it out.

"Oh, yes." Mr. Lewis said. "That young girl reminds me of me when I was young."

_--_

_**Author'**__**s Note:**__ I just want you to know that I'll be having less time to update all my stories – with all the trainings and school stuffs… ((sigh)) also, i'll be removing one of my fanfics soon (i'll be revising it, i guess) anyways…_

_To __**charmarctravis**__, I wish I could really make this fic longer but I was running out of ideas. But if you want to read more Troy x Sharpay from me, I'm making a new fic and I'll be uploading it soon. I also want to thank you for your reviews… it really means a lot to me… :)_

_--and--_

_To __**Little Girl Bloo**__, I really want to thank you for reading my stories and always posting wonderful reviews. On adding me on your lists as one of your favorite authors, or my stories as your favorite stories, and everything else… and thank you, once again, for being so nice to me… :)_

_And to everyone else who reviewed (like ashfan202 and troypay4lyfe), I really, really, really, appreciate them… Thank you so much… :)_

**PREVIEW****!!**

_Sharpay (pointing at the figure coming from the sea): Is that…_

_Troy: …the rescue ship!_

_Sharpay: We're saved, Troy! We're being saved!_

_In the process, Sharpay was hugging Troy and he couldn't get any happier than that. The feeling of being hugged by her causes him to feel happier by the minute. Strange. Odd. Weird. He may call it that way but he didn't care anymore. He likes what he was feeling at that moment. He was – in love!_

--That's it. Although I'm not sure with this since I haven't started typing the last part yet… review? :)--


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the long wait… hope you're not mad at me. I was really busy (and I still am). It's just too hard to find time to update my stories. anyways, here's the last part of my story "Stranded". Although I have to admit that I'm not really good at writing endings… Lol… :D**

**I do not known High School Musical or any of its characters. Please read and review. Thanks. :D**

**

* * *

**Unfair. Yes. That was definitely the term Troy was looking for. He was looking at the basketball ring where he should be shooting the ball in his hand. He thought that if this would be the championship game between East High and West High, he'd definitely be looking at the cheering crowd. But no matter who screams his name and cheer him, he knows that the only person who could make him really smile would be –

"Sharpay." He whispered her name unconsciously. There was a pause before he realized what he has done. He shook the thought off from his head as he regains his attention to basketball practice. He dribbled the ball once more, and then positioned himself to shoot the ball. He sure wants to have a three-point shot, when –

"Damn! Damn! Damn!" he cursed. How could he miss it? He was sure he was going to shoot the ball on the ring – a three-point shot!

"Troy!" called out a guy coming from his back.

Troy turned around. The sight of his African-American best friend came into view as he was invited over to the Bolton Residence. "Hey." He greeted back softly as he scratched his nape. For sure, Chad had seen how he missed the three-point shot he had been practicing back at East High and he always gets the shot. So how the hell did he miss it now?

"How's it going, man?" Chad asked, not really knowing what to say.

He sighed. "Good." He lied. "I guess." He added.

There was a moment of silence before any one of them could talk.

"Hey, listen." It was Chad. "You've been practicing each and every single day. I think you needed to loosen up a bit." He suggested.

Troy shook his head. "Nah." Was all he could say.

--

Blank. That was what Ryan could see through Sharpay's face. Sure, the female twin was physically present but she was mentally and emotionally absent. He was staring at her for a moment. Sharpay was in her glamorous pink and sequins attire, completed by her golden locks and a tiara as her accessory.

"Shar." Ryan called out as gently as he could possibly master.

There was no response coming from the girl.

He exhaled. He took a step forward and held his twin's hand.

Sharpay, who was lost all this time that they have been practicing their duet, seemed to be surprised at the sudden hand that touched her. It made her thought of Troy all the more. "H-huh?" when the face of Ryan Evans, his older twin brother by two minutes, registered to her thoughts made her senses came back to reality. "Oh. Oh, hey."

"Are you all right?" Ryan asked in full concern. "Are you feeling ill?"

Sharpay forced a smile on her face and shook her head. "N-no. I'm feeling… better." She lied.

But that didn't work. The lie that Sharpay told Ryan was very transparent. The male twin, of course, knows what was wrong. They have been living together since birth, grew up together, and go to every place there is – together. Ryan smiled. He smiled, not because he was happy to see his twin sad, but because Sharpay is now capable of showing what she really feels.

"Shar." He called out gently once more. "I know there's something wrong." He said.

Sharpay looked at him. She was on the verge of crying but she held it back. "Am I becoming so transparent that even you can see through me?" she asked.

Ryan chuckled. "Shar, we've been together since we were on mom's tummy." He told her. "We know each other so well that we have been very transparent to each other since the beginning."

Sharpay smiled.

"So," he started. "Is it Troy?"

--

Troy nodded at Chad's question.

Chad gave out a body language that says 'I knew it!'. Troy did not care.

"I think…" Troy started and Chad was looking at him. "No." he changed his mind. "I know that what happened to us isn't just an accident, Chad." He told him and Chad was muttering 'what?' in disbelief. "We have always hated each other since who knows how long and because of what happened to us, I have seen who Sharpay really was." He told Chad with just one breath.

"What?" Chad finally said it. "Troy, you were stranded with the Ice Princess."

"It's Sharpay. Her name is Sharpay, Chad!"

"My point is!" he cut Troy's words. "Sharpay is the Ice Princess and she'll always be that way. No matter what you saw on the island, that probably was just a show. You know her, she loves acting! She's not the Drama Queen of East High for nothing." He opposed Troy. "You remember the day when I told that…"

Troy wasn't listening at Chad anymore. He knew that Chad had the wrong notion about Sharpay up until this very minute. He couldn't blame him though. Sharpay did some nasty acts back in their junior high days which made Chad and everyone else believes that Sharpay will always be the Ice Princess and she'll never change her ways.

"…and what about the time when she showered us with skunk poops back at the camp last year?"

"Chad, I love her!" he suddenly said.

Chad formed a perfect 'O' on his lips and covered it with his two hands. The African-American best friend was in great shock. "Oh, no." Chad was looking at him with great worry. "Troy, come back to the light. Don't go there." He said dramatically.

Troy was the one who was mouthing 'what' to him now.

"Troy, don't give in to the temptation of the devil who literally wears Prada."

"Chad, enough." He said. "I know that you think I'm a complete nuts right now but I'm telling you. I have fallen for Sharpay when we got stranded together on the island. It's like – there was a magic or something."

--

"Magic?" Ryan repeated. "Shar, since when did you believe in magics?"

Sharpay shrugged her shoulders as she stood from the white sofa and started marching past Ryan. "Ryan, what's happening to me?" she asked.

Ryan looked at her. "Shar, you just said it." he told her. "You're in love and there is nothing you can do about it."

--

_Troy was looking at the fire they have created. They let the fire stay all throughout the evening. It was comforting – the warmth coming from the fire. And yet, there was another warmth he feels. He looked at his right, there he saw the sleeping figure of Sharpay whose hand was wrapped around his waist._

_He knew that Sharpay must be dreaming that they were back home – that she was on her soft bed and hugging her pillow for comfort._

_He watched the sky. It was becoming dark and the stars starts appearing. It was comforting._

Troy turned over the side of his bed as his dreams were taking him back to the island. There was a flash, and then –

"_Sharpay." He shakes her upper part of the body to wake her up. "Sharpay." He called out again._

"_Mmrf!" was the only answer he received from her._

"_Sharpay, wake up." He whispered to her ears._

"_Hmrf!" Sharpay snorted once more and she decided to wake up. "What is it now, Troy?" he asked sleepily._

"_Look!" he said, pointing at the sea._

_Sharpay looked up at the direction he was pointing. She could make up a silhouette and hopes that it was what she thought it should be. There was light coming from it, she could even see someone move. "I-is that…" she paused, pointing at the figure coming from the sea._

"_Yeah." Troy was nodding in agreement. "It's the rescue ship."_

"_We're saved." She happily said and stood up. Troy followed her as they both watched the figure coming in sight. "We're saved, Troy! We're being saved!" she cheered and in the process, Sharpay was hugging Troy and he doesn't know what he was feeling at that moment. The feeling of being hugged by her causes him to feel happier by the minute. Strange. Odd. Weird. He may call it that way but he didn't care anymore. He likes what he was feeling at that moment. He was – in love!_

Then, another flash came into view as if he was watching a movie that moves back and forth in time.

_Troy woke up the next day only to find out that he was all alone in their suite. He surveyed the area and on Sharpay's bedroom door, he finds a note in pink color. He knew right there and then that it was from Sharpay. He doesn't like what he was feeling at that moment. He reached for the note and read it. It says:_

'_Troy, my apologies for not waking you up. Ryan and I have received an important call with regards to our musicale in New York and we have to take the flight 3 A.M. this morning. We are leaving the car in your hands. Toodles, Sharpay.'_

_That's what the note says. He felt abandoned for some reason and it even felt unfair. They didn't even have the chance to say goodbye or to have a quick time together without being stranded on the island. It was unfair. It really was._

--

It has been the whole summer and Sharpay felt like it was forever. The musicale that she and Ryan have signed up took their whole summer time. They will, of course, be returning at East High two weeks after classes are officially back. They have, for sure, been excused by the principal since the Evans is a large asset of the institution. Just last year, the Evans have donated new science laboratory materials since Sharpay have accidentally blown up the Chemistry Laboratory. Not only that but they have also donated a large amount enough to build a new building – for Sharpay's accidentally blowing up the whole Chemistry Laboratory.

They have packed up their things and ready to leave the theatre when a healthy man whose age is about forty something and a skinny woman with hair tied up tightly and crooked nose came into view. "I believe you are Mister and Miss Evans." The woman said.

Ryan and Sharpay exchanged looks. "Yes." They both answered.

Both the man and woman smiled.

"A pleasant evening, Mister Evans, Miss Evans." The woman greeted and shook hands with the twins. "I am Miss Vicky Summers from Julliard School of Performing Arts." Upon hearing the word 'Julliard', both Ryan and Sharpay exchanged excited looks upon their faces. "I am the secretary to the President of the said school, and allow me to introduce you the president." She clearly said and turned to the healthy man beside him. "This is Mister Clarence Everest, President of Julliard School of Performing Arts."

"How do you do, Mister Evans?" he greeted as he shake hands with him and Ryan just answered him with 'fine, sir.' And as for Sharpay, Mr. Everest reached for her hand. "How do you do, Miss Evans?" he asked her and kissed her hands.

Sharpay answered him with "I'm fine, sir." As well.

--

It has been two weeks since the official school term at East High started. Both old and new faces of students greeted Troy one fine afternoon after their basketball practice. "Hi, Troy." Some girls would say just to get his attention and all Troy could do was give them a smile which looks more like a forced, fake smile. He was heading towards the exit of the gym and heading towards the boys locker room to change.

"Hey, Troy! Wait for me!" Chad called out as he was greeted by some fanatics as well. He caught up with Troy and said, "Yo, man. Have you observed Gabie? You know, the freaky math girl, Gabriella Montez?"

The name of Gabriella Montez made him looked up at his best friend. "What about her?" he asked.

"Uhm, listen…" Chad was sounding unsure whether he should tell what he wants to say to him or he should just let Troy guess. "I kinda like you to…"

"Answer's no, Chad. I'm sorry." He said without even letting the African-American vice-captain of the Wildcats finish.

"But I haven't even told you what I needed from you." Chad protested.

"Whatever man." He answered and started marching towards the boy's locker room.

"Troy, it's not what you think!"

"Chad, I know you."

"For real, man. It's not what you think!"

"Yeah, right." Troy said flatly as he reached for his own towel and headed towards the shower area. Chad followed him with his own bath towel. "Gabriella is a nice girl and I'm sure she's a nice catch." Troy started telling him. "But she's taken. She's off limits to any boys and as long as I'm here, I'd protect her from guys like you." He continued. "Even if you are my best friend." He finished and opened the shower, took off his clothes and took a shower.

Chad went to the shower area just beside Troy's. "I told you it's not what you think." He said to his best friend. Completely and sounding sure that Troy got the wrong idea. "It's not Gabriella whom I'm after." He said.

Troy paused. "What?"

"It's her friend." Chad answered. "You know, my lab partner in biology from freshman year?"

"McKessie?"

"Uh-huh." Chad answered. "I didn't mention it to you but, she's tutoring me for math. I sucked at math!"

Troy wrinkled his forehead. "Erase the last part. We all know you suck at math." He said. "But Taylor?" he asked again about the girl. "Do you really think you could pass her expectations? Man, she's like another Gabriella but more outspoken."

"I know! That's why I'm asking for your help." Chad said and together, they both covered their lower part of their bodies with towel as soon as they were finished. "I know you're good friends with Gabriella and I need you to please, _please_ tell her to help me out with Taylor."

Troy was amused by the way how Chad is acting. He is pleading just to get a girl he likes. "Since when did you become afraid of girls?" he asked in a joking manner. "I am not promising, okay?"

Chad nodded. "Thanks." He said. "Oh. And if it would help, Gabriella will be dismissed at five-thirty from tutoring some second years at the chemistry lab, third floor, near the parking area."

--

Troy's wristwatch ticks five more minutes to five-thirty. He was waiting for that time since Chad asked him to do a favor and so, he waited for five-thirty. He was on the other side of the chemistry lab near the parking area. And just as he was about to cross to the other building, the sky suddenly poured rain. "What the-?" He was in great disbelief. "Summer just ended and it's already raining? I can't believe this!" he told himself.

Right there and then, he heard a clucking sound of stilettos coming near him. He didn't care nor dared to see who it was though. All he wanted to do was to look for Gabriella and ask if she could help him to hook Taylor and Chad.

"Oh. My. Sparkling. God!" a girl's voice that sounded so familiar suddenly said out of the blue. "This is so not happening." It continued. "Damn it! I better call Ryan!"

Ryan? Did the girl just said Ryan? Was she talking about Ryan Evans? But that would be impossible. The twins have been out of school for two weeks and the rule clearly says that any student who will not attend three consecutive days without prior notice or any valid excuses, they will be dropped and therefore, cannot attend classes at East High.

"Ryan?" there, the sound and the intonation that always makes him shiver was all he could hear. Or was he just imagining things? "Where the hell are you? It suddenly rain and I freakin' forgot to tell the driver to pick me up!" then, there was a pause. "What? No, you idiot! I'm fuckin' stranded here in school! You better come pick me up. NOW!"

There's no mistaking it. He was sure it's her voice. There is no one at East High, or in the whole town of Albuquerque, he knows anyone speak like her except for the Ice Princess. He turned around and sure enough, the girl is wearing pink. The brown coat and boots couldn't hide the glitters on the girl's shirt. But there's something out of the picture, something missing and won't be complete without it. Where's the golden locks he always see from her?

The rain poured heavier than usual. Troy wasn't sure whether he should approach her or not. Then, the girl turned around. It was the first time that their eyes met. Both having the feeling that the world was spinning faster and no one existed except the two of them.

"Sharpay." Troy called out in almost a whisper.

"Troy."

"H-how have you been?"

"I've been…good."

He nodded. "That's… good to know."

"H-how's the Wildcats doing?" she asked. "I mean, not that I'm concerned but…"

"I missed you."

"Oh."

"Uhm…"

Silence filled the air.

"I'm… I'm not really hoping you'd say you miss me too, but…"

"But I do."

"Huh?"

"I mean…" she was then cut off by the next thing Troy did. He was hugging her tightly and really making her feel that he really misses her. For a moment, Sharpay was lost for words. It was this exact feeling that she misses from him, from the day he first embraced her until now. This is the exact reason why she wanted to see him and not go to Julliard as early as now. She wanted to be with him, like the time when they got… stranded.


End file.
